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MINI Cooper/S

27 Mar, 2007 1:00am

Overall Average Rating - 81.47%Position in the Top 100 cars - 81st

One of the biggest surprises in Driver Power 2007, the MINI has slumped 16 places from last year. This is one of the biggest drops in the survey, and will be a slap in the face for owner BMW. Its tiny boot and cramped rear gets the most stick, while the firm ride is also slated. What's more, the car isn't as reliable as you hoped; 55 per cent of you had some sort of fault in the past three years, with a fifth suffering an electrical glitch. The new MINI is now on sale, and we can't wait to see how it fares in 2008.

Your Quotes

“A sporty little number, but the gearbox crunches in reverse and there's a droning noise I keep getting fobbed off about. I've changed the wheels, yet it's still there.”

Mr Tony Venables - Isle of Wight

“Great fun to drive, quick, and a four-seat convertible (although two of the passengers need to be small kids). Even if the MINI Cooper S Convertible isn't cheap, I think it's impossible to find another car that fits the above criteria for the same money. ”

Mr Paul Fromage - Jersey

“Best car I have owned. Not very good for long distances, mind. More of a toy!”

Karen Olson - Edinburgh

“Great ride and love the sound of the supercharger, but would not buy a convertible again.”

Mr Kinman - Leeds

“The MINI Convertible is our second MINI and is a very enjoyable , reliable and attractive car. It would not be sensible as our only car due to the limited space - we keep the rear seats folded down to improve boot space. Road holding and performance are fine - the main problem is the very poor rear visibility but the parking sensors work well.”

Mr Susan Hance – West Sussex

“It makes driving fun, I even look forward to getting up on the mornings for the drive to work!”

Mrs Nicki Gaymer - Hants

“Excellent car, even with the couple of niggles, they have been sorted out promptly and as you would expect and the car is always returned clean and tidy every time. The driving experience is second to none and I'm still smiling every time I drive it, even after more than a year of ownership!”

Mr Steve Day - Oxford

“Continual problems with build quality, and with the quality of the components used. Before the car was two years old it had been back to the dealers eight or nine times for interior rattles to be fixed, also had to have new alloys because of corrosion, heated front screen elements failed, door seals had to be replaced three times, heat shields replaced, etc. Gearbox/clutch still problematical. Also concerned that rear brake pads had to be replaced at 13,000 miles (front okay) and that brake fluid had to be changed at 18 months/11,000 miles.”

Mr Nicholas Bell - Leeds

Manufacturer Verdict (Position - 26th)

With buyers queuing around the block to sign on the dotted line ever since the MINI was launched, you could be forgiven for asking why the firm needed to release a new version. But it seems the MINI love affair is short-lived once you've left the showroom. One of this year's big strugglers, it has slumped to 26th in the manufacturer chart. Let's hope the new model can turn things around next year.